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Boston will interview Ausmus for manager vacancy

Boston will interview Ausmus for manager vacancy

11/16/10: The Padres hire former catcher Brad Ausmus as a special assistant to the baseball operations staff

By Ian Browne
/
MLB.com |

BOSTON -- Add New England-bred Brad Aumus to the list of candidates who will interview to be the next manager of the Red Sox, MLB.com has confirmed.

Much like Tim Wallach -- the only other candidate who has become public thus far -- Ausmus has a strong reputation for his baseball acumen and also had a solid playing career.

The Boston Globe was first to report that Ausmus will interview for the position, likely at some point next week.

Ausmus, 43, currently serves as a special assistant in the San Diego Padres' front office.

Ausmus recently declined the opportunity to interview for the vacant Astros managerial post, which eventually went to Bo Porter, citing personal reasons.

However, it is believed that Ausmus, a native of New Haven, Conn., and the pride of Dartmouth College, would jump at the chance to manage in Boston.

Though Ausmus has never managed at any level other than leading Team Isreal in last month's World Baseball Classic qualifier in Florida, the recent success of Mike Matheny with the Cardinals and Robin Ventura with the White Sox might be re-shaping the way teams view previous experience for managers.

Last winter, the Red Sox chose experience and hired Bobby Valentine. That didn't work out.

"We're at a different point in the team's evolution compared to last year," Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington said last week. "At the time last year when we made the decision to hire Bobby, we were fully expecting to contend in 2012. We had a sort of mature roster that we felt like if some things went our way, and we got some breaks, we had a chance to win.

"So I think in the end experience weighed in our decision. It'll still be a factor, but the team's at a different point. We'll see, I don't think there's a particular resume blueprint. We've got to get into it and talk to people and just find the right person for this job and move forward."

Ausmus, renowned for his defense behind the plate, had an 18-year playing career for the Astros, Padres, Tigers and Dodgers, retiring following the 2010 season. He was an All-Star in 1999 and won three National League Gold Glove Awards.

Ian Browne is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, Brownie Points, and follow him on Twitter @IanMBrowne. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.